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Post by travis on Jul 13, 2017 15:45:22 GMT -5
Are you referring to the barber sketch? Hi y'all. Bix here. I've been reading through this thread (my first visit back here since the new season, which I personally and completely financed to the tune of $75.00, you're welcome) to get an idea of what you guys think of it. I did not know about the prerecorded riffs and hadn't noticed that Crow's eyes do not move. Thanks for ruining it for me! But actually, I think it's fine. Any re-creation of a beloved show would NEVER be as good as the original (seasons 7 thru 10 excepted, of course). That's the definition of "original". Lightning doesn't strike twice and all that. The people involved are giving it their best shot, which is all I can ask. I'm up to the (first?) Doug McClure movie and this one is obviously going to be the best one so far. That's because MY name will be listed as the financial backer during the closing credits. First name John, last name...well their are four of them surrounding you this very moment. The reason I quoted this post? The Barber Sketch. Just thinking about that piece of slow-paced, local-yokel conversation with a hilarious punchline (multiple burning clowns) beats anything I've seen in Season 11. But I've liked what I've seen, and hope these kids come up with something as funny. "Hi y'all"? I guess eight years in South Carolina is having an effect. Or is that affect... I'm hoping they'll get more time in the next season to let the writing gel (for both the riffing and the host segments). I think that will help out a lot.
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Post by Who Let Servo Drive on Jul 18, 2017 4:50:09 GMT -5
I supported the show at just about the highest level possible and was even in the last episode -- but I didn't finish watching the new season. I kind of petered out with the Avalanche episode. I haven't even watched the ep I was in! (My son has watched it and he told me he studied the observers and has no idea which one was me.)
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Post by Diet Kolos on Jul 18, 2017 6:45:33 GMT -5
I supported the show at just about the highest level possible and was even in the last episode -- but I didn't finish watching the new season. I kind of petered out with the Avalanche episode. I haven't even watched the ep I was in! (My son has watched it and he told me he studied the observers and has no idea which one was me.) Ouch. That's rough. Any particular reasons?
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Post by Troy's Dad on Jul 18, 2017 11:55:39 GMT -5
Wow! You spent $5,000+ and didn't even bother to watch your cameo or finish the season? That's rough indeed.
You really should finish the season.
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Post by BoB3K on Jul 18, 2017 20:04:32 GMT -5
One strange thing is to come on the board and there's not much to talk about any more. It's only been out a while, but discussion has slowed after an initial burst. In regards to new seasons/episodes.... I know that's the way TV viewing is today, and I'm not complaining. I like being able to watch a season (of any show) at my leisure. But it does alter the water cooler aspect. I remember how it was when a new ep would air, and the next day at work we'd all gab about it, or I'd go on a forum and that would be the conversation of the week (that, and what was coming up next). I admit I miss that part of it. Today were all watching at different speeds: one viewer is on ep 2 while I'm at 14, and not really into talking about ep 2 anymore. Yep. Stupid NetFlix and bingeing. I've said it before and I'll say it again, I don't know why anyone thinks its a good idea. A Netflix show comes out and you see posts on blogs reviewing the whole season. And then if people really love it or hate it, maybe another deeper post or two. But shows that come out by the week like Walking Dead or Game of Thrones, you have posts every week reviewing the ep and praising the good direction the show is heading or bemoaning the bad direction the show is heading.
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Post by foreign object on Jul 19, 2017 14:12:46 GMT -5
I supported the show at just about the highest level possible and was even in the last episode -- but I didn't finish watching the new season. I kind of petered out with the Avalanche episode. I haven't even watched the ep I was in! (My son has watched it and he told me he studied the observers and has no idea which one was me.) I hear ya man. I ended up liking about 5 out of the 14. The original show was so good everything else is a pale imitation. I watched CT on Youtube the other night because I was thinking about getting the DVD set. Swing and a miss. I own a ton of Rifftrax and to me that's the closest to the original show but even that is a pretender to the king. If only Carnival Magic and Cry Wilderness were in the original series.(sigh).
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Post by slainmonkey on Jul 21, 2017 16:21:38 GMT -5
It honestly does surprise me how down on the new episodes a lot of people are, while it didn't exceed my high expectations (there were some things it really could have done better) I would say it met those expectations. I feel it was a good start that I feel future seasons could grow and learn from.......provided we get future seasons. I mean I voiced my misgivings and criticisms of the episodes when I saw them, but overall I found myself pretty happy with the new season as a whole!
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Post by BoB3K on Jul 21, 2017 19:58:34 GMT -5
I just watched Ep 4 and posted over in that thread, but for "MST3K: The Return" General Discussion purposes, I'll repost this part here:
Okay, I actually took a longer than normal break between ep 03 and [Ep 4]. (The plan was 3 weeks between eps.) Honestly, I just wasn't enamored with the new show. I mean, it's very well done, but it's kind of hollow. I think someone on this board gave a perfect analogy--it's kind of like watching a really good cover/tribute band. I mean yeah, they're very good, but they're still just imitating the original.
Anyway, I finally sat down for this ep and BAM. It was great! Partially because the movie is Grade A perfect mst3k material. But also, I think I've just had time to let the new crew sink in. Honestly, as I watched many of the funny host segment my thoughts were---Tom and Crow are dead; but MST3K: TNG is here and it's funny and it's good. I laugh at pretty much every exchange of Kinga and Max. And, their movie riffing skills (not including variations in delivery speed and bot puppetry) are really top notch. Compare this to when I watch a RiffTrax and I'm sometimes literally rolling my eyes and/or groaning at the 30th dick joke or 'this movie sucks' joke of the episode.
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Post by Mr. Atari on Jul 30, 2017 15:13:18 GMT -5
So I'm watching the season again, a couple months after my first two viewings. This time through, I'm noticing new irritants, and enjoying some things that I didn't the first time.
I still love the movies they picked, for the most part. Cry Wilderness and The Beast of Hollow Mountain are just as amazing as before. The pacing of the host segments still feels off, but Max and Kinga work for me.
The riffs are funnier each time, but the run-on riffs are really annoying on repeated viewings. For example, last night I was watching At the Earth's Core, and at one point Servo started singing Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds. "Picture yourself in a boat on a river..." would have been a perfect riff for that moment. But instead, he continued tediously, "...with tangerine trees and marmalade skies." Now, the riff was over an image of odd colored trees and skies, so I get why they wanted to include the second line of the song. But the riff itself was twice as long as necessary, and therefore only half as funny. This is just one example of dozens throughout the season, where the riff was just beaten to death. Brevity is...wit.
But the worst thing for me this time through is, sadly, Baron Vaughn. His inflection, his timing, and his voices just don't work for me. Hampton is an impressively capable Crow and puts personality into his riffs. Jonah has a delivery that I warmed up to over time. Baron, unfortunately, is the opposite for me. He sings a lot, but doesn't quite have the chops. He loves to do an Andrew Dice Clay voice, and it's terrible every time. Ditto his Morgan Freeman. When there's an aforementioned run-on riff that tanks, dollars to donuts it's Baron.
One last thing: someone in the writer's group REALLY loved the Muppets. There's like 15 Muppet-related riffs per episode. There's even a Rowlf robot host segment. I love the muppets as much as the next guy, but it sticks out noticeably on repeated viewings.
I still like the season, and I've warmed up to the idiosyncrasies of the relaunch. But 75-80% of what I dislike this time through seems to come from one place. Bummer.
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Post by Diet Kolos on Jul 30, 2017 15:37:54 GMT -5
Wholeheartedly agree on Baron. From reports at the live shows, his temporary replacement has apparently won over quite a few fans.
Everything about his delivery is terrible. It's rushed, the inflections are all wrong, it's insincere sounding, The impressions aren't even that good and neither is the singing. I was watching a bit of Grace and Frankie on Netflix a month ago and was paying closer attention to his character, who usually doesn't get much screen time, and his normal acting voice is a more subdued version of what he does with Servo. It still isn't good, and he's still not a very good actor, way too many odd inflections and over-selling lines, but it's much more bearable.
But as Servo in Season 11, a complete dud, honestly.
And what you mention with the run-on riffs is one of the major annoyances for me also. It's a very good indication that most of the writers know how to write jokes and not riffs. They're too long, they have a set up and a punch line, and even if they are funny they interrupt the movie and distract.
Much of what they do in the theater is distracting. Either with the incessant props, the lame CGI Servo and Crow flying around or the unnatural, stagey musical moments. It's all a distraction from the movie.
And it's all a bit of the tail wagging the dog. We're there to watch a movie with commentary, not to watch commentary with a movie (and if you disagree, consider this: would you watch the movie on its own? Maybe. Would you watch the commentary on its own? Probably not). And when you have distractions, either deliberate (as with Servo flying around or the songs) or unintentional (riffs being delivered too quickly and not synced properly with the movie or with Baron's terrible delivery) the whole thing falls apart and it becomes a chore to watch.
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Post by BoB3K on Jul 30, 2017 23:47:08 GMT -5
(and if you disagree, consider this: would you watch the movie on its own? Maybe. Would you watch the commentary on its own? Probably not). Well said, great way to put it. I've always said my ratio is 40% movie on its own cheesy fun, 40% riffing, 20% host segments / characters. I know that's not everyone's breakdown, and some, even many, seem to love movies so terrible they just suck so we can all laugh at them. I've always like the movie to be watchable and the riffs to play along with the movie. I've always loved running riffs like "They TRIED to kill him with a forklift!" It really isn't even a joke if you hear it outside of the movie, it's part of the movie watching experience. Another favorite example -- Big Stupid (instead of Vix Dugan or something?) They wonder about it at the outset, and then by the end of the movie, that's just his name. I see some glimmer of that in this season, but as DK says--too many set up / stand up jokes. Although, as I say, I'll take those any day over an abundance of 'this movie sucks, hey that scene sucked, what a dumb line' jokes.
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Post by CrowTrobotfan92 on Aug 6, 2017 8:07:12 GMT -5
The thing that bugs me about Baron's Servo is how he just makes him sound too much like a sleazy beatnik. At least Hampton kind of gives Crow a Trace-esque voice and personality.
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Post by CrowTrobotfan92 on Aug 6, 2017 8:09:24 GMT -5
Meanwhile I'm actually curious to see what the woman who does Gypsy's voice looks like. She's got a pretty sexy voice.
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Post by majorjoe23 on Aug 6, 2017 8:20:21 GMT -5
Meanwhile I'm actually curious to see what the woman who does Gypsy's voice looks like. She's got a pretty sexy voice. She also plays Synthia in the new episodes.
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Post by CrowTrobotfan92 on Aug 6, 2017 9:13:24 GMT -5
Meanwhile I'm actually curious to see what the woman who does Gypsy's voice looks like. She's got a pretty sexy voice. She also plays Synthia in the new episodes. Welp. Another instance where I should pay more attention to the credits.
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